How Far Is It To Bethlehem? By Joe E. Trull

How Far Is It To Bethlehem? By Joe E. Trull

This question is the title and first line of a Christmas poem written for children by Frances Chesterton, wife of the English poet G. K. Chesterton. For her young audience she then replies, "Not very far."

If you live in Jerusalem the tiny village isn't very far—only about five miles down a winding road south of the city. To this day Bethlehem remains a small town, a tourist center. Every family there, in one way or another, earn their livelihood from pilgrims who come to see the city of Jesus' birth.

Some sights are as they were 2000 years ago, like the view of Shepherds Hills. Manger Square, however, is commercialized. Shops are everywhere. Thousands walk through the small doorway of the Church of the Nativity to view the place enshrined as the spot where Jesus was born.

But on Christmas Day 2000, the message of Bethlehem seems very far away. Fighting between the children of Abraham and Isaac threatens the peace of the world. The angel's song in shepherd field is drowned out by the whirl of attack helicopters overhead. The ancient and modern are curiously mixed, as Israeli soldiers fire modern weapons toward unruly Palestinians, who in turn throw rocks with slingshots as old as King David.

And what about us? How close are we to Bethlehem? Most of the world is hungry, but we Americans are prosperous. We have the science and the technology to conquer any problem, we say. But is our faith in God or in ourselves? Is consumerism the great obsession of our culture? Are justice, truthfulness, and love of neighbor the norm or the exception in our own society? How far away is Bethlehem?

Even for Christians, Bethlehem may seem too far away. The Holy Day of Jesus' birth is for us another holiday to endure. The frenzy of buying gifts overshadows "The Gift" God gave to the world. What has happened to the love and peace and joy the Angels announced to the shepherds? A contemporary poet, Johnstone Patrick, commented:

Along the pathways of the stars
We toil toward the Moon and Mars.
Oh, God, it seems we've lost our mind
In leaving Bethlehem behind.

Would you like to find your way back to Bethlehem? I would. It is not easy to locate. In the ancient world, the name of the town meant "house of bread," probably because it was the center of a fertile region. That's a clue. Bethlehem is a place of sustenance and strength. So it can be for us.

Bethlehem also reminds us of Hebrew history. Names like Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz come to mind. For them it was a place of refuge and new beginnings. So it can be for us.

But to find our way to Bethlehem, we must do more than define—we must follow the star. We must worship with the Wise Men. We must hear the angelic chorus.

The road back to Bethlehem is a way of love. "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (Jn. 3:16). The road back to Bethlehem is also a way of peace, for Jesus came to bring "peace on earth" (Lk. 2:14). The road to Bethlehem is a way of hope, for the Messiah was the hope of Israel and is our hope (1 Tim. 1:1).

And best of all, the road to Bethlehem is a way leading to God. "They shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us" (Mt. 1:23). To find our way back to Bethlehem is to find the very presence of God.

"How far is it to Bethlehem town?"
Just over the Jerusalem hills adown,
Past lovely Rachel's white-domed tomb—
Sweet shrine of motherhood's young doom.

. . . . . . . . . . .

It isn't far to Bethlehem town!
It's anywhere that Christ comes down
And finds in people's friendly face
A welcome and abiding-place.
The road to Bethlehem runs right through
The homes of folks like me and you.

--Madeline Sweeny Miller

For all of our readers we wish a Christmas season filled with love, hope, and peace.

A Granddaughter's Letter

In his newspaper column, Browning Ware shared this letter to a grandmother:

"If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. What about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem; not to mention that Friday at Calvary. Face it, He's crazy about you."

Final Thoughts at Year's End

Thanks for numerous calls, letters, and personal words of encouragement during this transition time—they have really provided strength for each day.

Thanks for your contributions. Since July 1 more than 40 of you have sent from $20 to $100, five others have given $300 to $1000, and one church in Jackson, Mississippi has CET in their budget.

Fifty-seven complete sets of the Journal have been ordered. We have about 30 sets remaining, so if you want Issues 1-31 let us know soon.

The income from the 35 contributions and the sale of sets has helped greatly. Through judicious economizing, we have reduced the publication costs to about $8000 per issue ($3-$4 per copy). However, as you can easily deduce, all the income received since July would produce only one issue. Our Board will convene (by phone) in January to assess the future. We are exploring, with Foy's help, a few possible large donors. PRAY with us that the funding will be found. Consider GIVING a year-end contribution. We are committed to providing the Journal free of charge to anyone who asks. Your support makes this possible.

Editing the Journal is a great joy. Thank you for the privilege. JET

Updated Thursday, December 14, 2000